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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28661265">A Bet Called</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/potionsandtea/pseuds/potionsandtea'>potionsandtea</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:06:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>869</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28661265</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/potionsandtea/pseuds/potionsandtea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione has managed to bring Snape to a breaking point, intentional or not. Can she see her bluff through?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Severus Snape</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Oddly enough, an unintentional prompt brought me to write this simple one shot for a SS/HG group on FB.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Almost an hour had passed. He sat silently in the high back leather chair facing the fireplace, a handful of floo powder clutched tightly in his hand. He knew she would be there, and not be expecting him. Silently, he cursed his own attraction and curiosity. Finally, he stood up and approached the hearth, letting a sharp breath out through his nose.</p>
<p>“If she dares to tempt me, then so be it.”</p>
<p>He stepped inside and threw the powder down. “Hermione Granger’s flat,” he said firmly with a wicked sneer.</p>
<p>Hermione relaxed in the warm bath, their last interactions playing over in her mind. They had last parted ways with a good amount of tension; She had been subtlety playful, whereas he had been his usual stoic self. The only hint given being a slight up turn of his lips. Oh, those lips...</p>
<p>In the midst of her recounting, the floo inside her bathroom flared to life, and none other than Severus Snape himself entered. Her breath suddenly hitched in her throat as he straightened himself, his dark eyes surveying the room before finally falling onto her.</p>
<p>With a smirk firmly in place, he raised one eyebrow and folded his arms in front of him.</p>
<p>“Somehow, Miss Granger, I doubt this is what you were expecting.” He paused briefly to judge her expression before lowering his arms and taking a step forward. “Or, perhaps this was exactly what you were expecting...”</p>
<p>Her first reaction was to sit up straight and cross her arms in front of her, attempting to hide her bare body. As his voice slowly poured over her, she realized her own body’s reaction to him. A deep rose coloration crossed her face as she stared straight back at the dark man now standing so confidently in her bathroom.</p>
<p>“I.. I wasn’t- I didn’t-“ She blushed ever further as she faltered with her words.</p>
<p>He took another step, daring her with his steady gaze. Her reaction to his presence pleased him, her blush betraying what objection she might have for him being there.</p>
<p>“Oh, didn’t you, though?” Snape smirked down at her, and her half-hearted attempts to shield herself from his gaze. No, he was far from convinced that she had not, on some level, hoped for such a thing to happen. She was a smart girl, after all.</p>
<p>“I happen to find it difficult to believe you would overlook something so obvious as this,” he said, motioning behind him at the fireplace. “I also find it difficult to believe you would not expect me to call your bluff. Or, would it be more precise to call it a bet...I know you are clever,” he said smoothly as he came to stand directly in front of her. “And, I know you realize I do not back down. Will you therefore continue this facade?”</p>
<p>Hermione held her breath as he approached. His demeanor, so confident and bold, excited her. She released a nervous, shaky breath. Indeed, she had hoped he would confront her about the continuous tension between them. He was, as usual, correct, and did not hide the fact that they both knew better than to continue the game.</p>
<p>Gathering her inner strength, she lowered her arms and pushed herself up to stand. “Will you, sir?”</p>
<p>Grinning darkly down at her, he raised his hands to grip her shoulders. Slowly, he bent to speak into her ear.</p>
<p>“Good girl...”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. All In</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With all laid bare before them, the two see their game through.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I really had no intentions to continue with this one-shot, but what could a tiny bit more hurt?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Good girl.”</p>
<p>Her eyes fluttered closed as his breath teased her skin, giving her goosebumps down her arms. Was he honestly there, in her bathroom, rising to her bait? She had wished he would, but never truly thought it would happen.</p>
<p>“Am I,” she asked with a somewhat weak yet playful tone. “Am I good..?”</p>
<p>He smirked at her cheek, how brave she was managing to be when she was standing in her tub, naked and wet. Slowly, he trailed his hands down from her shoulders to her elbows where he paused. Pulling his face away to look at her, he saw her desire and anticipation all too easily in those bright brown eyes.</p>
<p>“Good would be.. relative in this situation, wouldn’t you agree?”</p>
<p>Trapping her with his eyes and overly confident voice, she could only manage a soft whimper of a response.</p>
<p>Her weakness for him shone through all too easily, and it excited him even more. Moving to trail his fingers back up her arms, he let his fingernails gingerly rake against her skin.</p>
<p>Placing one hand back on her shoulder, he raised the other to hook one finger under her chin and raise her face to his.</p>
<p>“So, girl.. are you going all in, or will you fold?”</p>
<p>Raising her face in obedience to his physical cue, she smirked.</p>
<p>“All in, obviously,” she replied, her voice taking on a low and sultry tone. “And you?”</p>
<p>“Such an unnecessary question,” he said silkily. Without further hesitation, he scooped her up into his arms as he closed the distance between their lips, making clear his intent.</p>
<p>She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck, returning the kiss with physical cues of her own.</p>
<p>Against his lips, she whispered, “Please, take me to the bed. Sir...”</p>
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